Teen Wolf: Anchor, Alpha, and Amant
by lyo24boi
Summary: Isaac is starting to develop feelings towards Scott; what kind of feelings is the question. Attraction certainly. But not just romantic or sexual. More than that. Dependency. Need. Desire. Scott is beginning to fill every void, even the ones that Derek never could. SPOILER-laden. Isaac POV-oriented. Post 3x04. SCISAAC. COULD change to M in the future.
1. Reined Back In

**| CHAPTER ONE****, Reined Back In |**

Isaac Lahey turned from laying on his left side to his back, his eyes gazing at the white lunar-lit ceiling. _"Go!" Derek yelled, snapping the empty glass at him just as the thunder boomed against the apartment._ Isaac flinchingly-blinked as he recalled the glass hurling towards him, finally dampening his eyes after minutes of dry staring.

It had been two days and he still couldn't figure out what happened. It had been two days and no word from Derek, or Cora, or even Peter. No one had cued him into what happened, what caused Derek to snap the way he did. But it didn't matter. The moment that glass flew at him was the moment Isaac disowned Derek. Derek was no longer his Alpha. No longer his 'big brother.' At least in his mind anyways.

A half hour passed and Isaac once again turned, this time to his right side. The auburn door appeared dark brown against the dim lighting. It was at least two yards away from the single bed he was laying in. The door was closed shut and no light shone through from underneath. The only sound he could hear was the air-conditioning, which, every few minutes, rattled very briefly.

But then the lights were on in the hallway and he heard footsteps ascending the stairway further down the hall. Eventually, the feet, which were attached to a body, which opened a door, carried into the room at the mouth of the hallway and suddenly the light disappeared and a door closed. It was then that Isaac's thoughts wandered onto where he was. A bag dropped heavily on the other side of the door and a swear emitted lowly from beneath the door. Isaac smiled at Ms. McCall's lack of normal social decorum, not that she should be required to have any at four in the morning, after a long and grueling ten-hour shift at the hospital, and certainly not after dealing with Isaac's recent arrival.

Isaac recalled two nights prior. _The several light raps on Scott's door. His friend's unknowing yet quick response. "Come in, mom." _

_His entrance into the room, still dripping from the storm. Scott's immediate look of both confusion and concern. And his own plea, "I-I was wondering if, uh, if I could ask you a favor."_

_A short moment passed before Scott rose to his feet and said, "Shoot?" Scott was still clearly baffled by his presence. But more so he could tell Scott was concerned, maybe even worried._

_Isaac looked down from Scott's eyes to the computer chair behind his friend. "Could I maybe…maybe stay here for the night?"_

"_Yeah," Scott had said without a beat. "Of course."_

"_Thanks. I, uh, I owe you."_

_Scott had made a face before moving to his dresser and retrieving a bath towel from the bottom drawer. "Go…before you drip all over my floor," Scott had said, a slight smirk squirming out of the corner of his mouth._

_He had made his best attempt at a smile before taking the towel and heading into Scott's shower. Immediately he had been overwhelmed by Scott's scent. It covered the bathroom from floor to ceiling. And it got worse once the water began to create steam. He had finished as quickly as possible and left the tiny room even faster, desperate to get away from the Scott-humid air._

_As it turned out, however, he had only gone from one Scott to another, as Scott was sitting on the bed, the duffle next to him. "I'm gonna' get ready for bed. And leave you to it," Scott had said, forcing a reassuring bunch of his lower lip. Once the bathroom door closed he quickly changed into some of the few clothes he had and sat on the edge of the bed, just where Scott had been._

_The toilet flushed and Scott emerged, toothbrush in hand. "The guest room is full of some old things so go ahead and take mine." He had only nodded before throwing the duffle to the side of the bed and rolled off to the left side of the bed, away from the bathroom. After Scott had finished brushing his teeth, he emerged once again and turned all the lights off. Scott had grabbed the pillow next to him and made to leave._

"_You're not staying?" he had said, sitting up slowly._

"_I'm gonna' take the couch."_

"_But it's your—"_

"_Isaac, it's fine. Take the bed. Sleep. We'll talk in the morning?" Scott had made a better attempt at giving a reassuring smile before heading out into the hallway._

"_Scott."_

_Scott's face reappeared, his hand grasping the frame._

"_Stay. I-I don't want to be alone tonight."_

_Scott had nodded and returned to the bed. Scott laid down on the right side, lying flat on his back while he had just rolled back over to his side._

"_Whatever happened, Isaac," Scott had started, "try not to think about it. Just sleep."_ And Isaac had. The next morning they had talked about Derek—over waffles which Scott had pulled out of a box in the freezer. Isaac had been rather reluctant at first, especially about the details. But as always, Scott's demeanor always seemed to triumph and Isaac told him everything. He trusted Scott. Just like he told him before at Deaton's.

It had been two days since he arrived at the McCall's and he already felt like he was intruding. Ms. McCall treated him no different than she did Stiles. Well, maybe a little different since Isaac didn't yammer on _nearly_ as much—he could tell she appreciated that. But he also feared that she was timid of him. Maybe not so much about the werewolf aspect, but because of the danger he brought. And Isaac feared that as well. He was never one to trample on others…at least not regularly; there certainly was a brief time just after he had been turned.

Isaac rolled back onto his back and sighed heavily, not even willing to will his eyes closed, let alone will himself to sleep.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

6:45 rolled around rather fast and Isaac opened his eyes rather abruptly. It was Thursday and another great day for school. Likely filled with doing his damnedest to avoid the twin once again, as well do his best to keep his emotions in check around Scott. The last two days at Scott's helped Isaac see that there were feelings he never knew he could have for a guy. Isaac had been not just a guest imposing, or even a friend staying over. He had been under Scott's care. Sheltered and taken in from the cruelty this supernatural world was churning out. That care _meant_ something.

He wasn't sure if it was romantic. Probably too soon for that. But they were feelings that were more than friendly or kinship-related. Scott was just…Scott. There was a manner of loyalty, kindness, and even innocence that poured from the guy that was…intoxicating…much like the steam in Scott's bathroom that first surrounded Isaac only three days ago. Scott was special somehow, and Isaac, despite his nervousness about the feelings, was also eager to see where they led him.

After readying for school, Isaac made his way into the kitchen for a quick breakfast. He grabbed a toaster strudel and tossed it in the toaster oven as Scott walked into the room.

"Morning," Scott began, grabbing an apple from the fruit drawer in the refrigerator and a bottled orange juice.

"Morning," Isaac replied. "You got in late last night."

"You went to bed early," Scott said before digging into the side of the apple.

"Yeah. I, uh, finished my homework early so I thought I'd be good and get to bed early. Where'd you go?"

"Uh, Allison's." Of course. The now lighter-brunette, werewolf hunting, knife—no 'Chinese ring dagger' wielding ex-girlfriend. Despite all that had happened Monday, what with the storage closet, the somewhat-apology for the stabbings, and the bike setup, Isaac still carried disdain for her. Of course he would: she _still_ tried to kill him several months ago. _And_ her family wrought nothing but misery and death upon his kind. Disdain seemed a reasonable attitude towards the girl, if not a lighter attitude than what would truly be justified.

"What for?" Isaac said, slicing open the icing packet with a claw.

"Had to return something of her's."

"Oh."

Within a minute Isaac's toaster strudel _dinged_ and within only another 30 seconds, it was devoured. Scott smirked at him before they geared up for the trek to school: jackets, bike gloves, helmets. Scott hopped on first before Isaac followed, wrapping his hands snuggly around Scott's waist. Of course that action never helped matters concerning Isaac's emotions, which were begging to be unleashed. Scott revved his bike and before long the pair were headed to Beacon Hills High School.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

School had been an interesting day from the go of the morning announcements. Their new principle reminded everyone that all of Mr. Harris' classes would henceforth be subbed by Ms. Blake until he makes a "full recovery", despite being another tally in Stiles' log of sacrifices. After the conversation with Scott earlier that morning, Isaac was somewhat surprised to note that Allison wasn't in homeroom, nor did she join them for lunch; only the three boys and Lydia sat together.

The most interesting part, however, was the strange unspoken tension between Scott and Stiles and Scott's extra-positive attitude towards Isaac. All throughout lunch Scott and Stiles exchanged wary words through an occasional stare; they obviously weren't mad at each other, but something was definitely up. Scott, however, made his best attempt to seem as little obvious as possible and even suggested he and Isaac put off all homework until Sunday after their return from the cross-country trip tomorrow.

And they did. After school let out Isaac returned home with Scott on the latter's motorcycle. They dropped their backpacks in their respective rooms and met back up in Scott's room.

"Movie?" Scott asked, holding up two DVDs still in their packaging.

"You're on," Isaac replied, grinning upon seeing one of the latest superhero movies amongst the unopened pair.

They made their way to the family room and plopped down on the sofa in front of the medium-large-sized flat screen. Scott had bought the TV for his mom for her birthday with the savings he earned from working with Deaton; it was the first and only flat screen in the house.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Isaac was pulled out of his half-slumber by the creaking of the last step atop the staircase and a muttered swear that followed. Whatever it was earlier was about to go down. Isaac got up and threw his leather jacket on before ascending the stairs almost cat-like (a skill he had harnessed with Erica's help before her death).

Isaac approached Scott's room and watched as the boy slipped on his own jacket, Scott's back to the door. Scott picked up his helmet before turning to leave. Upon seeing Isaac, Scott gasped, his eyebrows jumping along with his body. "Whoahhh."


	2. The Rope That Begins To Fray

**| CHAPTER TWO, The Rope That Begins to Fray |**

…_Isaac approached Scott's room and watched as the boy slipped on his own jacket, Scott's back to the door. Scott picked up his helmet before turning to leave. Upon seeing Isaac, Scott gasped, his eyebrows jumping along with his body. "Whoahhh."_

Isaac, who was leaning against the frame, only smirked, looking at the helmet in Scott's hand. "Where ya' goin'?" Isaac asked, looking up into Scott's face.

"Uhhhhh, I-tshh-I was gonna' go get some food to eat," Scott replied, squirming both bodily and facially as he walked towards Isaac.

"Oh cool, I'll come with you," Isaac replied, seeing right through Scott's glass-transparent lie.

"Nah' dude, it's okay. I can eat alone."

"What are you getting?" Isaac asked, his eye lids fluttering in amusement, a smirk pulling at his mouth; toying with Scott was too easy.

"Ughhhh," Scott began, breathing out with slight anxiety. "Mexicannnn…" Scott slowly posed, clearly trying to deter Isaac. He would have none of that.

"Dude, I love Mexican it's…" Isaac began and turned to leave the room, knowing it was game, set, and match. He also couldn't help but chuckle to himself on the inside at his own remarks: he knew Scott was part Mexican, and considering Isaac's current budding feelings, he couldn't help himself.

Scott started forward, his playful face changing to a more serious look. "Isaac," Scott interrupted. "I can eat alone; it's okay." Isaac knew Scott was only trying to keep Isaac safe from whatever was going on. Scott was empathetic in that way.

But again, Isaac wasn't having any of that. He smirked at Scott and said, "You're not going alone. C'mon." Isaac backed out of the room, never losing contact with Scott's face. The ball, while the match was clearly over, was in Scott's side of the court now.

Scott only peered at Isaac twice as he reluctantly left his own bedroom and the two made their way for Scott's bike. "Derek is planning an attack," Scott began as they made their way through the house. "They're going after Deucalion in an hour. I want to meet with him first. Try and stop whatever he's planning."

"Do you think that'll work?" Isaac posed.

"I've got to try. Too many people are dying. Too many have _already_ died. If I can prevent any more, I've got to do this."

Isaac only nodded, letting out a wary and cautious sigh nonetheless. They mounted onto Scott's bike and headed off to meet with the scariest man they've ever had the displeasure to come across.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"We're just gonna' talk to 'em," Scott reiterated after dismounting the bike. "Try to reason with him. That's it." Scott seemed so sure this could work, though that verbal assurance could either be confidence or naivety. Scott looked back at Isaac, who only returned the stare. "What?" Scott asked, looking back at Isaac and then forward again.

"Nothin', it's just that I—" he began. "I'm actually kinda' hungry now," he finished before walking to Scott's side.

Scott pat his shoulder before letting out a sigh and saying, "So am I." Good, now he and Scott were on the same level of caution, even despite Scott's valiant attempt at putting the strong face forward.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

The skirmish began and ended before Isaac realized. One second he and Scott were fighting with the combined twins and the next Isaac was pulling Scott away from the ledge to run. Thanks to Allison's distraction, and Derek's sacrifice—which he hated admitting—Ennis lay atop the center of an escalator, the twins had been separated and lay on the floor in pain, and Kali was at the feet of Deucalion's perch.

Despite their flight to Scott's bike, Isaac was seemingly dragging Scott, who was still in shock by Derek's tumble over the ledge. Isaac mounted the bike first, placing the helmet over his head and revving the bike. "Scott!" he yelled once. And then again. Scott, who'd been gazing at the spot where Deucalion was sitting, twisted his head to the call and joined Isaac on the bike. Within seconds, they were both heading off into the night.

"We have to go back!" Scott finally yelled as they parked alongside the guard rail of an unlit one-lane road. "Boyd and Cora—"

"Are fine," Isaac said, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, mostly from attempting to prevent himself from hyperventilating. "I…I saw them leaving."

"Derek…we have to go back for Derek."

"There's nothing we can do, Scott."

"We have to try!"

"Scott!" Isaac yelled. Scott only looked into Isaac's face for a second before returning his gaze to the woods. Isaac walked up to Scott and placed a hand on Scott's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do," Isaac said calmly. "There's nothing you could've done."

"It's my faul—"

"No. It's not," Isaac said, taking that hand and wrapping it around Scott's shoulder, pulling Scott's back against Isaac's front and side, Isaac's other hand resting atop Scott's shoulder. They stood there for a moment, Isaac searching for the words to get Scott to expel those thoughts of blame. But they never came. "C'mon. Let's go home." Scott only nodded and they mounted the bike, Isaac taking the handles once again.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Tonight was different than Monday. Tonight Scott joined Isaac in _his_ bed. And tonight, no inches separated it them. Isaac had gotten ready for bed and was already laying down when Scott came in, still garbed in his slashed v-neck. He looked as if his brother had just died, and in some ways his 'brother' had. Isaac scooted over so his back was only inches from the wall the bed was up against. Scott sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Isaac, his gaze at the carpet near the door.

"Scott," Isaac began, resting a hand on the other boy's lower back.

That was only word exchanged between them as Scott laid down. Isaac moved right behind him, despite the pain in his shoulder where the combined twins had strained, and placed a hand on Scott's bicep, his chest against Scott's back for the second time that night. The room was silent but for the mostly steady breathing. No tears fell. No whimpers or light cries emitted. Just breaths. A surprising serene silence that ultimately led them into the morning with plenty of sleep…_somehow_.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Friday was even more interesting than Thursday. When Isaac awoke, Scott was already gone; when the beta found Scott, the latter was already on the steps before the porch, seated and gazing out into the scene before him.

"Stiles is gonna' pick us up," Scott stated when Isaac closed the front door. Isaac didn't reply. He only sat next to Scott and joined him in gazing out. When Stiles finally pulled up in his jeep, the two boys quickly piled in and off they went.

"Oookay," Stiles said after a few minutes of silence. "Is anybody gonna' fill me in?" No one said anything. "Seriously, you guys are like the walking dead. Or rather sitting dead but you get my point."

"Derek's dead," Scott blurted out.

"Run that by me again," Stiles replied, his eyes widening and his eyebrows raising.

"Derek's dead. And it's my fault."

"Whoa, whoa. Back up. Rewind. Derek's dead? How? When? Why?"

Scott proceeded to break it down. The plan to reason with Deucalion. Derek's interruption of the plan. The fight. Allison's saving grace. And last but not least, Derek's tumble with Ennis over the ledge. And, of course, all laden with word after word and insinuation after insinuation of his own guilt.

"Dude," Stiles began as he parked the car in the near-empty school lot, "it's not your fault. For the hundredth time." Scott only shrugged before getting out and shuffling towards the bus.

Stiles and Isaac exchanged looks as they walked behind Scott. "He's been like this since last night," Isaac said. "You're his best friend…is there anything you can do to take his mind off it?"

"Maybe," Stiles said.

They boarded the bus and Isaac watched Stiles sit next to Scott in the back. He took a seat towards the front before Boyd joined him; his shoulder appeared to be healed from Kali's slash. They only exchanged looks before looking forward. It was going to be a long ride. And it would only be longer when Boyd and Isaac watched Ethan walk onto the bus. The little shit shot them a smirk before passing them to sit with Danny, who was resting his eyes and had the back of his head resting on the top of the seat.

"Don't even think about it," Isaac said, catching Boyd glancing back at the twin. Boyd looked forward again, saying nothing.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Isaac was doing his best to prevent Boyd from doing anything to Ethan when he saw Stiles and…Allison?…helping Scott into the men's restroom that was closed for renovation. Unable to check up on Scott, due to Boyd, who he wasn't physically holding back anymore, Isaac decided to wait.

It paid off as Stiles and…Lydia?…emerged moments later. And Stiles was in a panic. "Stay here," Isaac said almost warningly. He was sure Boyd wouldn't do something: Danny was talking to Ethan, who was leaning up against some tree.

"Stiles," Isaac began as he hopped onto the bus, seeing Stiles digging through Scott's backpack in the back of the bus. "What's wrong?"

"It's Scott," Stiles said, looking up for a moment before returning to his search.

"What's wrong with Scott?" Isaac's pulse sped up slightly faster, recalling the moment earlier when he noted Scott was still hurt.

"He's not doing good," Stiles replied as he stood up with one of Scott's shirts in-hand. "He's...he's dying." Stiles slipped past Isaac and hurried off. Isaac's eyes flashed yellow. Suddenly, everything turned red. His breathing hitched. He was off the bus. The next thing he knew it he was wailing into Ethan's jaw. The little shit only smiled at him. He didn't even fight back. Only Danny tried to stop him and Isaac easily shrugged him off.

And then his name was being called. "Isaac! Isaac! Isaac!" Finstock. And then Danny was grabbing at him again. And again he threw him off. "Knock it off!"

"Isaaaac!" thundered _the_ voice. Scott's voice. The voice that mattered. His next punch stopped midway. He slowly rose and turned towards the voice, fist still raised, Ethan's shirt still clutched in the other. He was panting and when he saw Scott standing before him, he let go of the twin. Scott was looking at him. Only him. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disgraced. He was concerned. Isaac breathed out again, looking down from Scott's gaze for a moment. He saw that the wound wasn't affecting him. And then he looked back up at Scott and the tiniest of smiles tugged at the very brink of the corners of his mouth. He noted a crowd had formed. It was quiet but for the inaudible mutters. People were staring. Both at Scott and himself. He looked down again and Scott did the same before looking back up at him. He refused to look back when he couldn't help it any longer.

"Everyone back on the bus!" Finstock yelled, looking from Isaac to Ethan, who was now being helped to his feet by Danny. "Lahey, front seat. Got it?" Isaac turned to face the coach and only looked at him before heading to the bus. He took the first seat on the left as he was told. He sighed in relief, smiling to himself when a hand grasped his shoulder. It was Scott.

"I'm okay," Scott told him, giving him a reassuring smile. And by all appearances, he was. And in that very moment, prefaced by all the rage and adrenaline, that's all that mattered right then. Scott walked towards the back, followed by Allison, Stiles, and Lydia. Finstock joined them as the last one on and he sat directly behind Isaac.

"Face forward," he warned. "If I even think you're gonna' glance back, we'll pull this over and I'll leave you to walk back to the school and explain to them _exactly_ why you're suddenly not joining us anymore."

* * *

**Author's Note**: After 3x04 I found myself thinking about Teen Wolf nonstop for the next week, specifically about Scisaac. I had picked up on their budding friendship since the rave last season and was delighted to see it pick up by 2x11 and even more thrilled when it blossomed during the first four episodes of Season 3. And then the ending of 'Unleashed' came around and fuck my life. The teasing was so direct. So in our faces that I couldn't stop thinking about it. So here's my attempt at my favorite Teen Wolf pairing and even more so my attempt at _gurgitating_ some of the Scisaac churning in my head.

'Anchor, Alpha, Amant' is going to be my attempt at making a Scisaac relationship fit as snugly into the canon storyline as possible. Given the trend of things, I'm hoping they'll leave enough windows open for that to happen; that said, I'm implying that this will be released based on each episode. My hope is to squeeze some xXx into this but that all depends on the producers. Because there's no guarantee, I'll eventually be writing separate one-shots or such that _will_ guarantee that. Thanks for reading and comments, of course, are welcome.


	3. Californication

**| CHAPTER THREE, Californication |**

Isaac didn't even realize when the bus stopped. Or why it had stopped because more traffic; even on a Saturday early in the morning the highway was still heavy with it. No, Isaac was too busy being lost in his own thoughts. Daydreaming. Some could even call it having a daytime nightmare. He recalled his powerlessness from the night prior to their return home. He recalled his father's wicked words. But even worse he recalled the chains. The darkness. The box…no. The coffin.

Isaac noticed the wind carry a small towel of dust. It was the first tangible thing he'd seen since they left Motel Glen Capri. Then his focused pulled back and there were his sunken-in eyes in the reflection of the dirty window. He blinked once and watched his eyelids close before the flash of darkness. Even blinking scared him, hence the burn when he finally did as blinking had become a rare action over the last hour.

And then he was jumping out of his seat a few inches into the air, his head snapping to the source of the sensation on his lower bicep. A tan hand. Attached to Scott. Scott McCall. Whose lips were forming his name. And a phrase of concern.

"Isaac. Are you alright?" The sound was refreshing to hear. It was a stupid question…in a way. Scott had no idea what had happened to him last night. Well, maybe only the surface of what had happened; certainly not the extra deep rooted scars he would now have to carry. But, the sound was refreshing to hear nonetheless. Scott's voice had that about it. Everything about Scott seemed to carry some weight of special effects on Isaac. It was one of the intriguing things about Scott. "Isaac?" Scott said again. Isaac realized he hadn't really answered him. Only stared at the moving lips and the crooked jaw. Isaac found it odd that Scott's jaw hadn't realigned from the bite. And then Scott's lips parted to say his name again—

"I…I'm holding up," Isaac finally said rather weakly.

"Did you get _any_ sleep?"

Isaac shook his head before turning it back to stare out the window.

"Do you…" Scott paused. "When you wanna' talk, you know where I'll be." Isaac felt Scott squeeze his arm where the latter's hand had been and the boy stood.

"Scott," Isaac said after turning to look at his face. "Thanks."

Scott nodded at him and made to move to retake his seat that he'd been sharing with Stiles. "For god's sake, McCall," came Finstock's voice.

"I'm going, coach," Scott said casually as he made for his seat. Stiles, after receiving a knowing yet equally scolding look from their lacrosse coach, hopped right back next to Scott; he had been in the seat behind Lydia talking to the girls.

Isaac looked further back to see his prior roommate doing what Isaac had _just_ been doing. Staring out the window. And Isaac resumed doing the same. As he turned he found a larger sheet-sized carry of dust blow.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"_You moron…"_

"_I want you to shut up…"_

"_Grab the chains…"_

"_I said get in the damn freezer!"_

"_GET INNN!"_

Isaac startled awake as the bus hit a harsh bump in the road. He immediately looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Not even Scott had. He curled up harder against the window, wiping sweat from his forehead and two swipes of tears that had nestled and thickened just under his eyes.

"Alright everyone," came Finstock's voice again, "since we're _not_ going to have a repeat of yesterday…we're going to make a pit stop. Jared, get it together. Stilinski, I don't wanna' hear it. We're not stopping for food."

"But coach…"

Isaac tuned them out, his thoughts dragging him head first back into torment. His father's words on a sick replay. Track 1 on 'repeat one.'

"Lahey," Finstock said and Isaac turned to see the tall man's naturally wide eyes looking down at him, "stay away from Ethan." Bobby Finstock hunched down a little. "If you can do that," he began, his voice more hushed, "I might just forget about yesterday. Got it?"

Isaac nodded.

"Good." Finstock smirked and gripped Isaac's shoulder before returning to yell at another student.

Within a few moments they pulled up to the same rest stop they had visited yesterday. Isaac was first off the bus and first into the working men's restroom. He dipped his head down to splash cold water on his face, his eyes red and extremely heavy. Two boys came in while he was looking in the mirror; they paid no attention to him. Isaac dried his face with a paper towel and walked out, only to physically bump into Danny; no words were exchanged, only a glare coming from the taller of the two lacrosse players.

Isaac hopped back onto the bus to find Boyd right where he'd left him. Isaac took his seat in the front—which Finstock had still mandated he take—and looked out to watch Scott, Allison, Lydia, and Stiles all engaged in a serious conversation as they walked back from the bathrooms. He looked at Scott and found that, of the four of them, he spoke rarely and tersely. Last night clearly had taken its toll on him as well. Isaac closed his eyes before vowing to ask him about it when they got back home.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"_You moron…"_

"_I want you to shut up…"_

"_Grab the chains…"_

"_I said get in the damn freezer!"_

"_Back off!" came a different voice._

"_Who the hell do you think—"_

"_I'm the alpha." Scott's voice._

Isaac once again startled awake. This time, though, he wasn't sweating. Nor did he have salty gel under his eyes. But even more there was a heavy sensation on his shoulder. A weight. Isaac slowly turned his head to see the top of a dark brunette's head. A very familiar mop at that. Familiar mostly by smell, but even by sight as well.

Isaac glanced back out the window and, while his face never showed it, he allowed himself a moment of bliss. A moment to take in all that Scott had become and was becoming to him. Scott was his anchor. Obviously. Only an anchor or an alpha could steal one from their transformed state. Scott wasn't an alpha. But he clearly could tear Isaac from his rage. Which Scott had done twice now.

But the dream still tugged at his wandering thoughts. _"I'm the alpha."_ That was a line right out of Derek's book. And Scott…well maybe Scott was becoming…just maybe…


	4. Floating Down Stream

**| CHAPTER FOUR, Floating Down Stream |**

Bus 6502 pulled up alongside Beacon Hills High School around four on Saturday afternoon. It had been an interesting trip to say the least, especially for those involved in the supernatural frenzy surrounding Beacon Hills. Scott McCall got off the bus first, closely followed by Isaac Lahey, the pair of which had been sitting next to each other since their stop at the rest area.

"I guess this is where we depart?" Allison asked as she walked up to Scott, Isaac, and Stiles, followed closely by Lydia.

Scott nodded and thanked her, making their departure quick to avoid any further awkward tension between them and to avoid any confrontation with Chris Argent, who was leaning against his SUV only several yards away. Lydia said her 'goodbyes' as well and joined Allison.

"Home?" Stiles asked, turning to the two boys next to him. "Food?" he asked even more hopefully.

Scott turned to Isaac to defer the ultimate decision to him. Scott had had it rough, but he knew something more was going on with Isaac.

"Um, sure," Isaac said. "Can we get Mexican?"

Scott smirked and turned to Stiles. "I could really go for that."

"Mexican it is," Stiles said with more energy than his two friends combined could only dream of mustering today. They walked over to his jeep and within moments they were on their way to the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant Beacon Hills had to offer.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

After ordering up at the counter, the three boys took their seat and Scott, with the bottle of salsa in hand, began to squirt out its contents into smaller thin-cardboard containers so he could return it to the counter for the next person. That's when Stiles opened his mouth to speak and Isaac immediately cut him off.

"I have a request," Isaac said, watching Scott dish out the salsa. "Can we not talk about this trip. At least while we're here?"

"But—" Stiles began again.

"Sure," Scott interrupted.

Stiles let it go. Dying as he was to cover every detail of their trip to Motel Glen Capri, he knew it was time to for them all to breathe.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Surprisingly, Stiles didn't bring up the topic on their way back to the McCall residence. And Scott and Isaac _certainly_ weren't about to. Stiles surprised them again when he didn't stick around for very long after arriving, especially since it was just the three of them in the house. Stiles seemed to make up an excuse about how his dad wanted him home, even though Stiles never seemed to receive a text from the sheriff, and he definitely didn't receive a call.

After Stiles left, Scott retreated to his room and Isaac walked into the back yard, lying flat in the grass. He closed his eyes, his arms bent above his head, his hands resting under, his jacket bunched up to provide some cushioning. And as he began to drift, his ears found themselves listening to the sound of Scott's gentle and steady heartbeat.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"_I'm the alpha." Scott's voice again. "And I told you to back off."_

Isaac's eyes snapped wide open, brought back to the world by the banging of a motorcycle muffler somewhere down the street. He sat up, noting that the midafternoon sky had transformed into the beautiful evening sky, with the sun nearing the visible horizon.

"You're up?" came Melissa McCall's voice from the kitchen window.

"Mexican food puts me out," Isaac said, getting to his feet.

"Does it, now? When did you guys eat?"

Isaac, after entering the kitchen, looked at the time on the microwave. "Couple hours ago."

"Will you be hungry soon?" She stopped in her tracks and then smiled and turned to Isaac. "Wait. Don't answer that. Teenage growing werewolf boy. Stupid question."

Isaac grinned. "We can eat whenever. Unless you're hungry now?"

"I need about 20 minutes but then we can go. You could probably wake up Scott now, though; you know how he is after a nap."

Isaac nodded and went to head upstairs.

"Oh, and Isaac, make sure he lets you pick the place. It is your birthday after all."

That was a surprise for Isaac. Yes, that she knew it was. But to him as well. It couldn't already by the 22nd could it? "How did you…?"

Melissa looked at him knowingly.

"Wait. Don't answer that," he mimicked. "Adult multitasking motherly nurse with access to hospital records."

She nodded and Isaac proceeded up the stairs, shaking his head and smiling at himself, pondering at how he found himself in such a welcoming homely situation.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Isaac's 18th birthday had been amongst the top-most memorable. Easily. It was just the three of them. At a nicer Italian restaurant. With no discussion of the supernatural whatsoever. Having a normal family outing. With normal family conversation. And normal family laughing. And normal 'brotherly' joking with normal motherly disapproval. And that's what he needed. Grounding. Grounding in reality. Because that grounding was the key to the future. The key to hope that one day soon things will level out. Hope that they can all finish out the rest of this school year and graduate. Once and for all. Move on to normal lives with normal jobs.

But these thoughts only crossed his mind when he was home after dinner while he was watching the highlights from the Indiana State Championship BMX Final. He wasn't really watching it though. On top of being lost in thought about a normal future, he was also staring at the new tablet Melissa had gotten him that sat next to him on the couch. But even more importantly, he was staring at the custom wolf-head padlock key Scott had given to him. Melissa was confused about the present, but Scott and Isaac exchanged a silent yet deep conversation about it at the dinner table. One that literally forced Isaac to bolster the floodgates; it was easily the most symbolically endearing gesture anyone had ever made towards Isaac. And from Scott, having still not discussed last night's torturous events, that meant a lot.

"What're you watching?" Scott asked after finally joining Isaac in the family room, having been preoccupied with helping Melissa with some house chores—Isaac had been banned from lifting a finger.

"Indiana highlights," Isaac said as Scott took the seat next to him, propping his feet up on the coffee table next to Isaac's.

"Wanna' watch a movie?" Scott asked.

"Not particularly," Isaac replied.

"Ready to head to bed?"

"Not really."

"Do you…do you wanna' talk?"

There it was. The elephant in the room…finally sounding its long trunk. "I…we…"

"We don't have to," Scott quickly offered. "I mean, I didn't wanna' bring it up. You seemed to be having such a great evening—"

"Day," Isaac said.

Scott's face only furrowed to a puzzle.

"Yeah, this morning sucked. But the ride home wasn't too bad. Especially since…" Isaac stopped, not wanting to tell Scott that it was because he woke up with Scott sleeping against him.

"Since?"

"I dunno.' It just wasn't too bad. And lunch afterwards. I dunno.' Everything seems to be getting better faster than I expected."

"That's what happens when you're around me," Scott kid, bumping his shoulder into Isaac. Isaac laughed a little, looking from Scott's bright face to his own hands in his lap, safe from contact with any part of Scott.

"Thanks for the key," Isaac said. "I, uh, I kinda' needed this today. I mean, I really needed dinner. The way it went. You're mom's hilarious. But this," he said, twiddling it in his fingers, "this I really needed."

"'Cuz of last night?"

Isaac nodded, still not looking at Scott. "I…I heard his voice. He put me back in there."

"Isaac, I—"

"So thank you," Isaac said, finally looking at Scott's face. "I really needed this."

Scott gave him a reassuring smile and looked down at his feet. Isaac did the same with his own. They sat there, the television still broadcasting the sports channel Isaac had it on.

"I saw my mom die," Scott finally blurted out. Isaac immediately snapped to look at him. "Deucalion. He ripped…he killed her. The next thing I knew, I was dousing myself in gasoline. I had a flare. And it was blazing in my hand." Scott looked as though he was right there again, reliving the experience he was espousing. Isaac shifted and placed his hand on Scott's between them. "And then Stiles was there. And Allison and Lydia. And I…I was gonna' use it. I needed to use it." He shook his head, several tears slipping by his control. "Everyone around me…they just keep getting hurt."

For once, Isaac found himself on the comforting end, rather than the one in need of it. "Hey," Isaac said, reaching over to Scott's far shoulder and pulling him into his chest into a much-needed embrace.

"I almost—"

"But you didn't," Isaac said. They sat there like that, holding _his_ alpha—for whatever that's worth. He turned the TV off and just listened to the sound of Scott's breathing. The sound of his restless heartbeat that was slowly simmering down.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Isaac awoke once again with a heavy sensation on his body. But it wasn't his shoulder this time: it was his lap. Yet, the same head of hair was causing that sensation and Isaac knew he could get used to that. Although, getting used to it would require him not sporting an erection every time Scott decided to use Isaac's lap as a pillow. Isaac looked down at the cable box for the time, the vivid blue numbers reading a quarter after midnight.

"Scott?" Isaac said in a lower voice. "Scott? We should go to bed."

The brunette in his lap didn't move. He kept just as still, breathing so normally and peacefully that Isaac took no pleasure in waking him. For both their sakes.

"Scott…c'mon get up," Isaac said, nudging him in the shoulder.

"Nnnngh," Scott groaned, consciousness slowly entering his system.

"It's after midnight."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why'd you have to wake me? I was comfortable."

Isaac only smirked, nudging him again. "Well let's get comfortable in bed."

"You offering?" Scott joked.

"All the time. High charge though."

"Rough, man," Scott said as he slowly pushed himself up and began rubbing his eyes and forehead. "How long was I out?"

"How long were _we_ out?" Isaac corrected. "And I dunno'…maybe a couple hours?"

"I'm hungry," Scott blurted, looking from Isaac to the kitchen, leaning up to do so.

"You're always hungry."

"And you're not?" Scott retorted, smirking.

"Well…"

"Do you want anything?"

"What're you making?"

"Depends if you're having."

"Why not?" Isaac said, standing up and walking into the kitchen, Scott just behind him.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Sunday had been just the same as Saturday—with one exception: the whole day had been normal and relaxed rather than just the afternoon and evening. Isaac had attempted to sleep in, but given the fact the Scott was forced to vacuum the upstairs as part of this weekend's set of chores, that didn't work out so well. By the time Melissa came in, she found Isaac fully dressed and de-sheeting his bed.

"Are you hungry?" she asked after Isaac confirmed that she could enter.

"What're you making?" he asked, smelling something delicious in the air.

Acting as if she were insulted, Melissa scoffed at him and said, "Is that a test to see if what I'm making is good? I'll have you know, mister, that _everything_ I make is good. And who says I'm making anything anyways? Just because it was your birthday _yesterday_ doesn't mean I'm just gonna' wait on you all week—"

"Alright, mom!" came Scott's voice from another room. "You don't need to haze him!"

Melissa smiled at Isaac's stunned face. "Sorry, I give Scott a hard time after every birthday. One year his father…well let's just say he was acting 'entitled' after his birthday years ago. I never let that one go and one year Scott did it. When he was just a kid. And ever since…"

Isaac only nodded, a slightly awkward smile appearing on his face as he tried to picture Scott just sitting around and ordering his mother around. That smile quickly changed from awkward to amused.

"Seriously, though, are you hungry?"

Isaac nodded.

"Good, 'cuz Scott convinced me to make my mother's enchilada recipe tonight. I heard you're a fan of a little Latin flavor?"

Isaac grinned and nodded again, thinking back to the accidental innuendo from just a few days ago.

"Well save your appetite. Grab something light downstairs." She gave him a final look and let him be, closing the door behind her.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"Boyd called," Isaac began as he walked into the kitchen, finding only Scott there, checking up on his mother's enchiladas in the oven. "Derek's alive. For certain."

"Is he hurt?"

Isaac shook his head. "He's healed up. Said he made it back to his apartment somehow and was able to heal throughout the night."

"But Boyd said he wasn't there yesterday," Scott said, his face clearly looking perplexed.

Isaac shrugged. "Maybe he wasn't when he checked. I dunno.' Don't really care." Isaac walked over to the refrigerator and retrieved an apple before sinking his teeth into it.

"But he's your—"

"We've been over this, Scott. No he's not. Not anymore. Not after he kicked me out."

Scott bit his tongue, knowing a useless argument when he sees one.

"Just consider me a werewolf in the market," Isaac said, smirking before he took a second bite.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

While the weekend had been great, the week started out to be hell. Daytime: normal. Evening: nightmare. Scott had called from the hospital. Said the darach had attacked three more people: two doctors and possibly Danny. He explained the run-in with Ethan and pointed out that, while Danny had been attacked with mistletoe, that the Alpha Pack themselves were seemingly aiming to attack Lydia.

So when Scott and his mom arrived home together, Scott and Isaac immediately exchanged glances that they were kinda' on the same page. "We have to protect her…just in case," Scott said hushedly next to Isaac by the front door as Melissa went into the kitchen to unload.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Wait until she goes to bed. Keep guard inside."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"We totally suck at keeping guard," Isaac said after Melissa sent them out of the room.

"Don't you mean _you_ suck at keeping guard?" Scott smirked as they entered his room.

Isaac frowned. "Fine…_I_ suck at keeping guard." Isaac thought back to the dream he was having though, the one Melissa had interrupted. About he and Scott. In certain positions. In Scott's kitchen. In Scott's shower. Into Scott's bedroom. Onto Scott's bed. This was certainly getting rough for him. "Do you think it's safe to leave her alone today?" he finally asked when Scott entered his bathroom.

"We don't really have a choice," Scott said, toothbrush in mouth, shirt completely missing.

"I suppose. I guess I'll go get ready," Isaac said, standing to leave.

"Hey, thanks for helping me last night."

Isaac turned and smiled at Scott. "You got it, Scott."

After a short 15 minutes, Scott found Isaac standing in the kitchen, munching on a toaster strudel. "Boyd called again," he said, mouth full of the toasted pastry.

"Oh?" Scott muttered as he grabbed a piece of fruit from the bin in the refrigerator and a portable juice.

"He wants my help."

"With what?" Scott replied, digging his head from the refrigerator finally.

"With Derek."

Scott's eyebrow raised.

"The alphas are gonna' attack tonight."

Scott's face immediately made that classic _oh grand_ face. "I'm surprised you agreed."

"I'm not doing it for _him_…I'm doing it for Boyd. Because he asked."

Scott nodded. "Do you need a ride? Isaac shook his head. "Alright. If anything changes…or you need me…call me."

Isaac smiled. "I will."

* * *

**Author's Note**: So I finally have the update for you guys! I was packing for Germany and I'm currently staying in Berlin. I'm staying where I don't have regular internet so the updates may be a little erratic. But I will do my damnedest to keep the updates to before the next episode so thanks for tuning in!


	5. Dreams of Foresight

**| CHAPTER FIVE, Dreams of Foresight |**

The heavy sliding door to Derek's loft slid open, Boyd and Isaac walking in. "Go back to school," came Derek's voice.

"Well actually we can't," Isaac retorted. "Boyd and I are, uh…incredibly and unbelievably sick." He looked around, noting that, of course, nothing had changed. He spotted Derek sitting on the rusty spiral staircase in the corner by the window.

"With what?" Derek began. "Brain damage?"

"_Asshole."_ Isaac thought. "Well," he pushed forward, "I have a migraine and, uh, Boyd here has, uh, explosive diarrhea."

"We're here to protect you," Boyd said, not joining the useless banter between his alpha and Isaac.

"You're here to protect _me_?" Derek said, annunciating himself with surprise as he walked down the staircase. "Well…I'm in trouble then."

"Well, actually, Boyd here came up with a plan," Isaac said, taking a seat on the table/desk and flipping through the book resting on its surface.

"Yeah," Boyd said, taking the cue, "I thought about the time Gerard had Erica and me locked up…tied up with electrical wires. Pushing current through us. I was wondering how we could do something like that." Boyd pulled out a monstrous coil of extension cords. "But on a bigger scale."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

And just like that, the nightmare-status from the night before had escalated to 'total fucked up fucking hell.' One second, Boyd's plan had failed and Derek and Kali were at each other. Sparring in the light pool of water covering Derek's floor. The next, I received a text from Stiles and a glimmer of hope shined through. I rushed the twins, but they only released Ms. Blake and moved forward. But they stopped when the currents exploded through the water. I took Ms. Blake safely in my arms as I watched Derek and Kali crumble to the floor, Boyd quickly following as he attempted to come to Derek's aid. And that's when hell took over. In a mere moment, Boyd was dead.

Kali killed him. Not with her own force. But with her will. And her command. She had lifted Boyd onto Derek's claws, which the twins held upright. They forced Derek to 'kill' Boyd. I could only watch Kali and the twins recede from the room, Ms. Blake my priority but cursing that she was. Boyd should have been. He had been my brother through a lot, ever since Derek turned him after Erica and me. And now, he was dead.

I watched as Derek knelt there. Completely in shock. All three of us were, really. And then Cora and Stiles were there. And Lydia. It was Cora's cries that brought out my own emotions. That numb tingly feeling quickly built up behind my nose and eyes. And I was soon using Ms. Blake's shoulder as a shield to keep myself together. Boyd wasn't just dead.

My brother was dead.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

When I finally walked into the house, Scott's room was the only light on. I slowly ascended the creaky staircase and found that the door was open. Inside, Scott was sitting cross-legged on his bed, staring out the window. I made to head for my own room when he stopped me.

"Isaac?" he beckoned.

I entered the doorframe of his room and one look at me was all it took. He immediately got up from the bed and wrapped his arms around me. My cheeks were red from the walk home, unable to hold back the tears and now they were long dry.

"Stay with me tonight," he said and I only nodded. He walked me over to the left side of his bed and I clambered in. He flipped the light off and soon he was up against me, he arm draped over me. Nothing more was said. And nothing need be said.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

I spent the next day held up in my room. I didn't even go to school. I couldn't. Scott and Melissa both checked in on me. But the exchange…well it was as short as short could be. Most of the time I spent on my bed, laid out on my side or curled up against the corner. It didn't help that I couldn't find the key Scott had given me. In retrospect I know having it would have helped. I needed it now…and not knowing where it was made it hard to pick myself up.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"_Next time I'm killing all of you." Kali's voice now._

"_I told you to back off!" Scott. His eyes glowed red, his claws outstretched, ready to square off against her in the pool of water in Derek's apartment. Derek still knelt there, Boyd's body in the water. Kali made the first move, charging Scott and Scott rushing just after. As they neared, their outstretched claws began to close in on each other_.

Isaac shot upright, this time being woken by the closing of the front door. He looked out his window and it was raining. But the dampness on his forehead was obviously not from the precipitation. It was sweat. That dream had been different from the others. Much different.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Come in," Isaac said, turning to drape his legs over the side of the bed to face his visitor.

"Hey," Scott said, a sad but reassuring smile appearing on his face as he walked in. The room was dark but the light from hallway forced pain into Isaac's eyes.

"Hey," Isaac replied weakly, scooting over more towards the wall.

"I have a couple things to tell you," Scott said, taking the seat next to Isaac, "but they can wait if you'd rather go back to sleep."

Isaac shook his head. "What's going on?"

"I just came from Allison's," Scott said.

"Oh," Isaac could only say, not heartened by the announcement.

"Gerard's alive," the brunette blurted out, his gaze from the floor immediately switching to Isaac's as he spoke. Isaac was only speechless, his static expression finally changing after a full day from depression to shock. "They've been keeping him locked up. He's still sick…from the bite. Allison brought me to him. After what happened at Derek's, she thought he might have something that could help us."

"And did he?"

"Possibly. But there's something else…something more important you need to know."

"Does Allison know?" Isaac hadn't meant to say that. Like the announcement about Gerard, it just came out.

But Scott didn't pick up on the disdain in Isaac's voice. Or at least he didn't acknowledge it. "No, she doesn't. Actually, it's something I just found out myself." Scott paused for a minute. "Deaton told me about it the night...two nights ago." He paused again, turning to look at the floor again. "Did Derek ever mention something called a 'True—"

"Boys?" came Melissa's voice from downstairs. "I could use a little help!"

"I'll tell you later," Scott said, patting Isaac's knee before hopping up to go help his mother. Isaac looked at his knee for a brief moment before hopping up himself. "What's all this?" Scott said, looking at the numerous grocery bags sitting in the foyer.

"Food for you guys," she said, "that you get to put away. I have to pull a couple extras next week so you'll need to fend for yourself." She smiled brightly at her son and then looked over Isaac. "Isaac, it's good to see you out and about."

"Uh, yeah," he replied.

"Might wanna' take a shower tonight, hun."

Isaac immediately looked down at the bags. "Mom," Scott complained, urging her to leave him alone. Isaac looked at Scott, who yanked his head back towards the kitchen. They picked up the bags and began to sort the various items into their respective places, most of them going in the refrigerator or the freezer. And before long, they were done.

Isaac made to head back upstairs when Scott stopped him. "Isaac," he began, "is there anything I can…anything I can do for you?"

Isaac turned to look into Scott's brown eyes. His lower lip only bunched up and he shook his head. He left the room and made his way into the shower upstairs. After a long warm and refreshing shower, he wrapped the towel around his waist and walked out. Seeing Scott's light now on in his room, he walked in and knocked on the door frame.

"Hey," Scott said, turning around in his computer chair, garbed in nothing but long sleep-pants.

"Hey," Isaac said, his eyes raking over the bare muscles. "There was something else you were going to tell me."

"Oh. Yeah. I'll tell you tomorrow. I'm actually just finishing something up and then I'm off myself."

"Alright," he said weakly. "Night, Scott."

"Night. Oh, and Isaac," he said, forcing Isaac to turn back around once again, "if there's anything you need, you where to find me."

Isaac nodded and returned to his room, closing the door behind him. There, sitting just under his bed in between his sneakers, laid the key. He smirked and picked it up, letting his towel drop in the process. He breathed out a heavy sigh and let his eyes close for a second, allowing his composure to return. He quickly dressed into a pair of boxer-briefs and laid the key on the nightstand next to him on top of the book he'd previously been reading, vowing to put a chain on the thing tomorrow to wear around his neck.


	6. The Boy Who Just Needed Distraction

**| CHAPTER SIX, The Boy Who Just Needed Distraction |**

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Come in," Isaac said, sitting on his bed in nothing but his boxer-briefs, his legs hanging over the side.

The door opened and a fully dressed Scott McCall entered. "Morning."

"Morning."

Scott looked Isaac over and grinned. "I take it you're not coming with me?"

Isaac shook his head, looking at Scott's face.

"Can you do me a favor? If you're up for it?"

"Depends on what it is," Isaac replied, smirking back at Scott.

"I know this is a lot to ask and I would ask anyone else to do it but—"

"What, Scott?" he said, standing up.

"Allison hasn't been to school for days. Would you mind checking to see if she's alright?"

Isaac's smirk dropped immediately. His heart sank just a little bit and a mild nausea appeared in his abdomen.

"I know she's not your favorite person. On account of the whole trying to kill you thing. But would you mind?"

Isaac let out a light sigh before nodding. "Because you asked nicely," he said, forcing a playful smile to show Scott he wasn't troubled over the request.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Isaac listened quietly as Chris Argent left Allison's room. She hopped out of bed and opened her closet. And then there was silence. He heard something fall to the floor and that's when he realized he'd been careless. When he'd managed to finally clamber onto Allison's balcony—via two other balconies and a rather large drain pipe—he'd accidentally knocked one of the doors slightly ajar. He leaned into close it and that's when he was hurled to the floor, face first. In all but two seconds he was flipped over another blade was brought to his throat, Allison's exacerbated face looking down at him as she hovered over his torso.

"_I can kinda' see why he likes her,"_ Isaac finally admitted, seeing a relatable fierceness he used to see in Erica, whom he once had a fling with.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said, not removing the knife even while acknowledging that it was him. Isaac stared up at her, his neck bared to the knife, an unintentional look of fear wrought across his face.

"You weren't at school," he breathed out.

"Scott send you to check up on me?" she said in an interrogating rush.

Isaac's breath stuttered and his eyes rolled before he said, "Maybe he's worried about you."

"I can take care of myself," she whispered out in a snarky tone.

"Yeah…I've noticed." He paused, looking at the blade. "More than once."

She smirked at him before clambering off of his abdomen and helping him up.

"Scott told me you're keeping Gerard here," Isaac blurted out.

"Did Scott tell you about how he scared him half to death?"

"Scott was fine when he came home last night?" Isaac said, confused.

"No…Scott scared Gerard."

"Oh. Really?"

Allison nodded, leading him out into her hallway. "But Gerard isn't the one I'm worried about right now. I think my dad's involved with the killings."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

After several hours, which included suspecting Allison's father of being a mastermind and/or co-conspirator, finding the darach and Allison's dad shooting at the darach, finding a just recently dead Mr. Westover, and confirming that the next attack will be at tonight's recital, I actually found myself at school.

I followed Allison, who followed her father into the auditorium, only to see Scott looking back at me. I don't know why I followed the Argents instead of rejoining him, but I did. For some reason, it seemed that his previous request hadn't drawn to a conclusion just yet.

* * *

**Author's Note**: For those of you following this and possibly getting impatient with the lack of Scisaac togetherness, I just want to tell you that it's coming. I have my theories about canon future pairings so as soon as one of those sparks they'll be including in AAA. I'm also waiting for Isaac to find out about Scott's true alpha status and for that to begin to bare fruit and that will happen in the story before any romance does. Otherwise my title is in the wrong order ;) Thanks for following and stay tuned!


	7. Looking For Scott

**| CHAPTER SEVEN, Looking For Scott |**

"Isaac? Isaac?" Allison's voice.

I stood up straight and looked at the Argents. "Lydia," I said plainly. I was about to take off when the orchestra…something was wrong with them. The focus of their eyes. The clarity of their playing. The darkness ringing from the chorus. Something…and then it happened. The chord from inside the piano snapped and the piano teacher was dead before she hit the ground.

"Allison!" I heard Mr. Argent yell and I turned to see him moving, following after her as she made her way towards the stage. I followed as well. Moving through the crowd of scared people, I found the Argents at the stage in time to hear Allison.

"Mistletoe," she said plainly. I looked at the pool of blood to see the small pool of white; she was right.

"Lydia," I said again, looking at them both as they both turned around. "She's in trouble."

They moved and so did I, ahead of them both, hunting for the source of the shrilling shriek. It took me several minutes, but soon I found Lydia, standing in a dark classroom, looking at a teacher's rolling chair. "Lydia," Allison said first, rushing passed me and over to her side. "Lydia?" she said again when Lydia didn't say anything.

"They're…they're gone," she finally said as I moved in between her and the chair; she only continued to look at it as if my body couldn't obstruct her view.

"Who's gone?" Allison asked, pulling back from the hug she'd instigated.

"Lydia…have you seen Scott?" I asked.

"They're gone…"

"Lydia, who's gone?" I said rather forcefully.

Allison looked back at me before returning to Lydia. "Lydia…where're Scott and Stiles?"

"Gone."

I sighed heavily and looked around in frustration. That's when I noticed the gaping hole in the window. "Lydia…?"

"Gone."

I looked down and saw the gun. A police issue. "Lydia…whose is this?"

"They're gone."

"What happened to your neck?" Allison said, peering down and touching the girl's neck. "Dad," she said, calling him into the room, "go get some help. Something's happened to Lydia."

Mr. Argent looked at his daughter, then me, and then her again; he was clearly unsure if he should leave her alone with me. I looked over at Allison and saw her annoyed face; I smirked. He took off down the hall and that's when I smelled it. I looked behind me and noticed the collapsed chairs. "Something definitely happened here," I said, walking closer to the fallen chairs. I looked down and saw blood. I sniffed once. "Allison," I said, beckoning her over. She walked up next to me and peered down at the blood spat. "That's Scott's."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

_Bzzz, bzzz. Bzzz, bzzz. Bzzz, bzzz. Bzzz, bzz—_"We're sorry, the number you dialed cannot be reached at this time. Please leave a message after the ton—"

I hung up the call to Scott's phone and tried him again. Nothing. And then again…and again nothing. I closed my eyes and breathed out harder than I wanted, clutching the key chained around my neck hidden under my shirt. I scrolled up on my contacts and tried Derek. Again, nothing.

That's when Allison walked up next to me. "I can't get ahold of Derek or Scott," I said. "How's Lydia?"

"She's got bruising on her neck," she began. "They're taking her to a hospital downtown because Beacon Memorial's being evacuated."

"The storm's that bad?"

"It will be. I overheard an EMT saying the backup generators might be too old to last if the power goes out."

"Beacon Memorial…" I said, pausing, knowing that it was significant somehow. And then it dawned on me. "That's where Cora is, right?"

"I'm taking the two of you home," Mr. Argent said as he walked up to us.

"No, I have to get to the hospital; I can't leave Cora there with just Peter."

As I walked away, I heard Mr. Argent call after me. "Isaac," he said, and I turned. "I'll drive." Thunder struck again and that's when the power in the school went out.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

As we closed in on Beacon Memorial, I saw Derek and Stiles' cars. I pulled the key out from under my shirt and kissed the wolf's head before slipping it back underneath and hopping out of the car. I rushed in behind Allison when I heard her father note that the evacuation must be over.

"Are you catching a scent?" Allison asked me as I slowed to look back at Stiles' jeep.

"No, not with the rain this heavy," I said, not wanting to admit what I was really stopping for. We slowly ventured into the hospital, passing the front reception desk when Mr. Argent snap-loaded his pistol. "I'm gonna' take that as a sign you're a little worried."

"Stay close to me," he said, which was odd given his history and the recent threat assessment back at the school.

Then I caught a noise. "Hahh, I think I heard something," I whispered, stopping.

"Where?" Allison asked.

"Below us," I said, lowering myself to the floor. My ear touched the cold ground and I could hear clanking footsteps and other mechanical noises. But definitely footsteps. I stood up and listened even more carefully. "There're someone above us, too." We hustled up the stairs to the second floor and slowly crept through hallways when we heard the footsteps. There were two sets. And they were both coming around the corner. "There's two," I said as quietly as I could to Mr. Argent. And as we rounded the corner, I saw Scott. I felt my heart beat rather harshly against the key against it.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"So then they're essentially trapped?" Mr. Argent began as the five of us hurried into an abandoned room.

"Yeah, right," Scott said.

"But there's no way of getting them out without turning the power back on," I said.

"Wa-wa-wa-wa-wait," Melissa interjected. "But if there power's back on then they're gonna' hear the elevator moving, right?"

"And then they'll be on Jennifer and Derek as soon as it stops," Scott added. "We can't get in a fight with them."

"Well you've got us now," Mr. Argent said, looking at Allison, though rather worriedly.

"It's too much to risk," Scott said. "They want her dead, and if she dies then there's nothing we can do for Stiles' dad or Cora."

"I don't even think I know which teacher this is," Mr. Argent said.

"She's the one with the brown hair. She's kinda' hot." As soon as it left my mouth I swore inside. Maybe it was subconsciousness trying to get Scott to _not_ realize I was worried about him? To be honest, I have no idea and they're reaction was fitting: they all turned to look at me. "It's, uh, just, it's just an observation." _That_ was the truth…but a little too late.

"I've got an idea," Allison suddenly said.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

I soon found myself sitting in the front seat of the Mr. Argent's SUV. I plugged my phone into the dash holder and saw Allison's name pop up on the screen. I touched the green icon and her face appeared. "You ready?" she asked.

I exhaled and looked forward. "Yeah."

"You aren't nervous are you?"

"Do I look nervous?" I said, looking down at the phone.

"No, not at all." She placed the phone into position and I heard her dad's voice.

"Did he look nervous?" he asked.

"Terrified," she replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I can still hear you. Very, very clearly."

"Just go as soon as you see them," she said, looking back into the phone's micro-camera.

"Yeah," I said, looking forward. "Yeah I got it." I pulled out the little key again and kissed it once more, returning it beneath my shirt.

A few minutes passed and I heard footprints. And then Allison was rounding the corner. Hot on her heels were the twins. I picked up the phone and threw it into the passenger's seat while starting the car. I shifted into 'Drive' and sped off, making my way for the garage. I soon pulled up alongside the ambulance Peter, Stiles, and Cora were supposed to be in and hopped out of the car, Peter and Stiles moving just before me.

"Alright, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon," I said, rushing around to the other side of the car to open it for Cora's limp form which dangled in Peter's arms. We helped her in head first, Peter moving around to the other side so her head could rest in his lap. As I turned to head back for the driver's seat I saw Stiles staring at the ambulance door. "Stiles, let's go!" I called after him, dancing around to the door. I watched him, not quite getting in. He looked back at me, then to the door, then back at me, and took off to head back into the hospital. "Stiles!"

I hopped in and threw the gear into 'Reverse,' waiting for Stiles who was _hopefully_ bringing Scott and Melissa back with him. "C'mon, we gotta' go," Peter said hurriedly from behind me. "Drive you idiot."

"I can't, not without Scott," I said desperately, my grip tightening on the gear shift, my gaze unbroken from the door appearing on the SUV's rear-view video camera. And then there were gunshots. Four of them.

"C'mon, do you want the Argents dead, too? Make your choice." I wasn't going to go, but then I saw Ethan and Aiden appear on the screen. "Oh, for the love of God, go! Nowww!"


	8. Pact Between Two

**| CHAPTER EIGHT, Pact Between Two |**

"_Oh, for the love of God, go! Nowww!"_ I slammed on the accelerator, and then the break, shifting back to 'Drive' and sped off out of the garage, making my way to the front of the hospital.

We pulled up, the braking car screeching a little on the pavement. "You see the twins?" I asked Peter.

"No. But I see the Argents."

I looked forward and saw Mr. Argent and Allison appear from behind the ambulance. And then a haunting howl resounded through the air. "Not to bring up uncomfortable memories but, wasn't the last time you saw them the time you killed Kate and they burned you alive? Hm?" I looked back to see a vacant seat. I hopped out to meet the Argents and return the drivers' seat to Mr. Argent.

"Where're the others?" Allison asked.

"I dunno.' Scott and Stiles went back for Derek and Jennifer; I had to get Cora out." I heard a car coming and turned to see Derek's SUV pulling up.

He hopped out and looked at me. "Where's Scott and Stiles?" Allison asked him.

"Stiles is still at the hospital," he began, walking to the Argent's car to get his sister. "He's gonna' hold off the cops for us."

"We have to go right now," I said, closing the door behind him.

"What about Scott and Melissa?" Mr. Argent asked as Derek carried Cora to his own car, me opening the door for _her_.

"Jennifer took Melissa," Derek said, laying Cora gently in the backseat. It took me a minute to process what he said before my heart began to speed up.

"What about Scott?" Allison asked. And when he didn't answer and moved to leave, her tone became more hurried. "Derek, where's Scott?"

He looked back at Allison. "He left with Deucalion," he said, his tone mixed with worry and frustration. He looked at me and then got in the driver's seat. I hopped in the back, taking Peter's former role, laying Cora's head in my lap.

"He went with Deucalion?" I asked.

"That's what Stiles told me." He slammed on the accelerator and before long we quietly found ourselves at his loft. When I opened the sliding door, we found Peter standing just inside, having prepared a bed for his niece.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

After sitting around for nearly half an hour, the sun began to rise over Beacon Hills. Damn had it been a long night. I walked over to Derek, who was intently and helplessly watching over his sister's limp form.

"She's dying, isn't she?" I asked, looking at her struggle.

"I dunno,'" he said, worriedly.

"So what're we gonna' do?" I asked, my temper rising slightly. My former alpha, just sitting there. Helpless…no…useless.

"I dunno,'" he finally said again.

I turned and shuffled, my temper starting to seep through my body. I couldn't even look at him. "You wanna' figure something out? Because while Scott and Stiles were out there trying to help people from being killed, you were in here, rolling around the sheets with the actual killer." I couldn't believe what was pouring over my lips. But it had to be said. The rage I'd felt towards Derek since he kicked me out those weeks ago. It was all pouring out. But the worst of it…all I could think about was Scott. How Derek's inaction could get Scott killed. Finally I brought myself to look at him though, his gaze not once shifting from Cora. I could see his eyes…they were wrought with fear. "Do you get how many people she's killed?" I continued. "Erica and Boyd are dead. Cora is dying. And you are doing nothing!" I pulled myself up, feeling the urge to do something I'd regret. I pulled back my rage, thinking of Scott _not_ in a dire situation, and stared down at him, my insides subsiding to pity almost. "Why do you do this to us, Derek? Is it all about the power? Are you bored?" Pity was soon turning to worry. Worry for Scott. Worry for the future. The one that could do something was just sitting there, letting me of all people lay into him. I bent down, our faces almost on the same level. "Are you lonely?"

Finally, that hit something in him. But clearly not hard. He turned a little, looking up at me. "Maybe." That was it. That's all he said. I couldn't believe what was happening. I headed for the door, no longer even wanting to associate myself with this. "I told Cora I wouldn't leave," he said. "I'll help the others when I figure out how to help her."

"There's no time!" I screamed. I stomped up the couple stairs and turned once more to face him, his back still to me. "The full moon's coming. The Sherriff and Melissa are gonna' be dead so I'm gonna' try and help them." I yanked the door open. "You can sit here and perfect the art of doing nothing." I slammed it closed and walked off down the hallway.

As fuming as I was, I couldn't help but overhear Peter. "I wouldn't take it personally," he said. "Anger is just a tool." I would have continued on—ignored him had he not said this: "He's using it to excuse shifting allegiance from one alpha to another." I stopped dead in my tracks, halfway down the hall from Derek's loft to the elevator. I stopped and listened intently. "From you to Scott?"

"_What the hell?"_

"Scott's not an alpha yet," Derek said.

"But he's on his way, isn't he?"

"_Scott? On his way. Alpha. The hell?"_ I took off quickly, trying to make up ground. I had to find Stiles. He would know what was going on with Scott; he always did.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

When I finally caught Stiles' scent, it was at the Argent apartment complex, not too far from Derek's.

"I thought you guys were retired." Stiles' voice.

"Retired, yes. Defenseless, no." Mr. Argent's voice. "And make sure your phone's on. If you hear from Scott you let us know immediately." _Scott.._.

I slowly opened the unlocked door and looked down the hall, careful not to have another dagger at my throat. "Yeah, I'm think that's gonna' be kind of unlikely." Stiles again.

"Both of you try to remember, he's just trying to do what he thinks is right." I'll try to keep that in mind when I see Scott…hopefully that keeps me from killing him for going with Deucalion.

The door behind me closed a little louder than I wanted it to. _Screw it_. I appeared in the door way and all eyes were on me. "I can't shoot a gun or use a crossbow, but, well I, I'm getting pretty good with these." I held up my hand and my claws flung out.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

Stiles went to the school to find Lydia and I went with the Argents to the Bank. To the vault. Where Erica died. Where Boyd and Cora were kept prisoner. _That_ vault. Mr. Argent opened the vault door and we walked in.

"It's empty," Allison noted aloud.

"Be careful anyway," Mr. Argent replied, extending his shock stick. I looked down at it and then at him.

"I thought you only used those on werewolves," I said, confused.

"I do," he said right before jamming it into my rib. My body spasmed with pain, my fangs forced out as I crumbled to the ground. All my focus fleeted from me. I was conscious, but only barely. I heard the Argents arguing above me. But that was only shadowed by a new voice. I thought it was Jennifer's at the time, and I was right. And then I heard her screech. That deathly wail.

It took almost fifteen minutes for me to regain control of my body. I slowly rose to my feet and found no sign of Mr. Argent or the darach. I limped over to Allison began to pull on the chain of her cuffs, willing one of the links to bend. Finally, a link released and she stumbled into me.

"Why did he do that?" she said helplessly, betrayal clearly eating at her.

"I dunno,'" I whispered, looking down at her, completely unnerved by the betrayal as well. Our best chance to find Melissa and the Sherriff had just betrayed us. And that meant Scott...shit…Scott could find himself in even more danger. Come even closer to losing his mother. I couldn't let that happen. Not to _him._ "We need to go. Okay, we need to help." She grabbed my forearm, her emotions quickly unraveling before me. I grabbed her's back, trying to show that things were going to work out. "Allison. Allison we have to go."

She looked hauntingly into my eyes. "They're all gonna' die…aren't they?" I pulled her into me, needing her to pull herself together. I needed her to be alright, so we could help the one real denominator between us: Scott.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

I finally got a call from Stiles and Allison redirected her father's car to the clinic. When we entered the building, we found Lydia, Stiles, and Deaton waiting inside. Deaton went to check on something and I positioned myself against the brick wall. When Deaton reentered the room, the conversation, which must have started without us, continued.

"It has to be on a telluric current," Stiles continued, "or maybe even at the axis of two. Or where they all intercept. And I just, I know this is where Derek took Paige to die."

"My dad and Gerard were there once," Allison began, "but Gerard said it was years ago and couldn't remember where it was. And my dad obviously isn't here to tell us now."

"Yeah…mine neither," Stiles said.

"Then how do we find this place?" I said. We all looked at Deaton, obviously the mysterious wise man amongst us.

"There might be a way, but it's dangerous." He looked at us. "We're gonna' need Scott."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

As much as I wanted to go with, Deaton asked me to help Lydia and Allison set up the three containers much like the one I had been submersed in weeks ago. Water. Ice. _Mistletoe_. They got back before we could get all the ice in and Deaton excused Allison to go find something memorable of her dad. We continued preparations, trying to make this makeshift ritual go as right as possible when the trio returned.

"Alright," Deaton began. "What did you bring?"

"Umm," Stiles began shakily, "I got my dad's badge. Jennifer kinda' crushed it…in her hand. So I tried hammering it out a bit but, it still doesn't look great. Um…"

"It doesn't need to look good if it has meaning," Deaton reassured.

"Is that an actual silver bullet?" I asked, noting the glisten in Allison's hand.

"Yeah my dad made it," Allison said. "It's kind of a ceremonial thing. When one of us finishes learning all the skills to be a hunter we forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code."

"Scott?" Deaton said.

"My dad got my mom this watch when she first got hired at the hospital. She used to say it was the only thing in her marriage that ever worked."

"Okay," Deaton continued, "the three of you will get in and each of us will hold you down until you're essentially…well…dead. But it's not just someone to hold you under; it needs to be someone who can pull you back. Someone that has a strong connection to you. A kind of emotional tether."

Allison looked from Scott to Deaton, slightly confused. "Are you sure, I mean Scott and I both have to go under?"

Deaton only moved his head slightly. "Lydia, you go with Allison." He turned and looked at me. "Isaac, you with Scott." He moved closer to me.

"How do you and Stiles fit?" Scott asked, looking from Deaton to Stiles.

"Deaton's, uh, he's been sorta' teaching me. For a couple weeks now. Like a mentor."

"Like your Yoda?" Scott said.

"Yeah," Stiles snorted, looking down at the ground, the small joke helping to ease us from the darkness that was about to be upon us. "Yeah, like my Yoda."

We all looked at Deaton, who gave us all a reassuring bunch of his lower lip. "Let's begin." Stiles, Scott, and Allison stripped down to some of their lighter garments and lined up at the basins, Scott on the left, Stiles in the middle, and Allison on the right. They slowly began to step into them, their reactions much similar to my own from when I tried to find Boyd and Erica. They got more comfortable, only their necks and heads not submerged (except for Scott, whose arms clung to the sides).

Stiles turned to Scott and said, "By the way, uh, if I don't make it back and you do, you should know something. Your dad's in town." Scott's breathing picked up a little, his heart beginning to beat a little faster.

They each exchanged looks between them, Scott giving them both a final reassuring nod. We each walked up behind them, rolling up our sleeves. I placed my hands on Scott's shoulders, his body shaking erratically. He lowered his arms into the basin and he looked frightened. I squeezed reassuringly before pushing him under. His eyes were closed and it killed me to see him like this.

I looked over at Deaton and Lydia was doing the same. I looked down at Scott when his hand grabbed up at mine, gripping tightly onto my hand holding him under. I watched as his eyes opened, the gorgeous yellow looking right up at me. And that's when I saw tendrils of darkness inching around his face. I hope we're doing the right thing, 'cuz I need Scott to come back to me.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So we finally have the first major diversion from the canon. This was bound to happen eventually…I just hope they don't force me to make too many. I want to keep things as close to canon as possible so fingers crossed for the finale!


	9. Dawn After The Blood Moon

**| CHAPTER NINE, Dawn After the Blood Moon |**

_Fifteen minutes after submersion:_ I blinked for the first time since Scott's hand went limp and his touch left my own.

_Thirty minutes after submersion:_ Lydia walked over to me and sat next to me. I was in the corner of the room, wrapped up in on myself. She rested her head against my shoulder, her breathing even but her heartbeat a little unsteady. I leaned my head over against hers.

_Two hours after submersion:_ Deaton and I got into it. I accused him of killing Scott. Of killing the one person whose trust and loyalty should never be betrayed. And I accused him of doing something that, in my mind, I knew he would never do. That he hadn't done. But I was scared. I didn't want to lose Scott. I couldn't.

_Seven hours after submersion:_ I woke up suddenly and the morning sun was already above the horizon. I had another dream about Scott. About his glowing red eyes and his duel with Kali. But in the water, it wasn't Boyd's body that Derek was leaning over. It was Scott's. Yes, there were two Scotts in the dream. And all my mind could think about was the one lying dead in the cold water in Derek's apartment.

_Eight and half hours after submersion:_ I was leaning against Scott's basin, my hands aching from the thin metal cutting into my palms. I was looking at Scott's peaceful face from the foot-end of the basin. My eyes burned from my constant attempts at pushing back tears. It had been too long. He was gone. He wasn't coming back. Not this time. Even though Deaton told us to keep faith. To contain our patience. I knew he was wrong. Scott was dead.

_Nine hours after submersion:_ I caught myself praying to the God I had abandoned—or had abandoned me—after my mom died. I was reciting the same prayer that I used to plea to bring my mother back. That I'd give anything to have her back. Even just for a moment. Even just to say 'I love you' one last time. But this time, it was about Scott. Since he'd left with Deucalion, my emotions have been rampant. Anger, of course, had been the first one to arise. But that quickly subsided and my worry for him came through. And that worry confirmed what I'd been wondering for weeks now: how deep are my feelings for Scott? The answer: I'm almost certain I love him.

_Ten and a half hours after submersion:_ I lost count the number of pleas I'd made. My nose was stuffed and it was tingly from the constant crusade against the tears. I remember sighing rather heavily and I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Deaton. Calling a truce with coffee and lunch he must have picked up. I knew he wasn't the enemy. That he was doing the only thing he'd ever done: help. And this time, my mind won over my anguishing heart. I took the peace-offering and we exchanged a knowing look.

_Sixteen hours after submersion:_ Lydia just went back inside. I've been out here for a while, just sitting up against the side of the wall. Watching the sun fall—it was just under the top of the tree tops now. Its heat had long abandoned us. And the moon…the blood moon was slowly and dimly coming into sight.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

I was twiddling the key in my fingers when I heard it. A heart beat spike. And then another. And then another. I raced back in to find all three of them fully awake and in a state of motivation.

"I saw it. I know where it is," Scott spoke first, clambering out of the basin.

"We passed it," Stiles began. "There was this stump. Huge tree. Well not huge anymore—it was cut down. But still big. Very big."

"It was the night we were looking for the body," Scott added, looking at his best friend.

"The same night you were bit by Pete," Stiles confirmed.

"I was there, too, in the car with my mother," Allison finally spoke. "We almost hit someone."

"It was me," Scott said. "You almost hit me." He turned to Deaton and said, "We can find it." We all looked at Deaton, Lydia and I clearly wanting him to break the news.

"What?" Allison asked.

When Deaton looked back at me, I resigned. "You guys were out a long time," I said, making eye contact with Scott for the first time in 16 hours.

"How long's a long time?" Stiles asked, looking from Scott to Deaton.

"Sixteen hours," Deaton answered regrettably.

"We've been in the water for 16 hours?" Scott said.

"And the full moon rises in less than four," Deaton said.

"Then we have to get moving," Allison said. "We need a plan, and fast." She looked at Scott.

"The four of you," Scott began, looking at me, "find the Nematon. Get my mom and your dads out of the root cellar. I'm gonna' tell Deucalion that I've found it. But that we need to face Jennifer elsewhere."

"No dude, you're not going back with them," Stiles said, towel in hand.

"I made a deal with Deucalion," Scott said.

"Does anyone else think that sounds like a deal with the devil?" Stiles said.

"Why does it matter anyway?" I said from my seat next to/behind Scott.

"Because," he began, looking back at me, "I still don't think we can beat Jennifer without their help."

"He trusts you more than anyone," Allison said. "Tell him he's wrong."

"I'm not so sure he is," Deaton replied, and all but Scott looked at him in slight shock. "Circumstances like this sometimes require that you align yourself with people you'd normally consider enemies."

"So we're gonna' trust him?" I said, ready to have another go with the druid. "The guy that calls himself 'Death: Destroyer of Worlds.' We trust that guy?"

"I wouldn't trust him, no," Deaton replied frustratingly calm. "But you could use him to your advantage. Deucalion may be the enemy, but he could also be the bait."

We all exchanged looks when we heard the front door open and close. Deaton moved first, followed by Scott, Lydia, me, and Stiles. "I'm looking for Lydia," I heard a familiar voice say: one of the twins.

"What do you want?" she said calmly.

"I need your help," Ethan? said.

"With what?" Stiles answered protectively for her.

"Stopping my brother. And Kali. From killing Derek."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

With the arrival of Ethan, the plan changed a little: we were hoping Lydia would be able to act like a special compass of sort but now we needed something else. Another edge. Like a scent to hone in on.

First thing's first, though, Allison needed to gear up. Hence, Stiles is getting something for us to smell and Scott, Allison, and I are at her apartment. "Just grab anything," Scott said into his phone as the elevator dinged and the door opened onto the floor of their apartment. "Stiles, I'm not smelling your dad's boxers," he said after a pause; I couldn't help but snort a little. "Socks? Okay I'll smell his socks."

"What about me?" I said, looking to my alpha—we still needed to have 'that conversation.'

"See what you can find in my dad's closet," Allison began, letting us in. "Anything with a strong scent."

She walked into her father's office and I heard an unfamiliar voice speak. "Quite an arsenal your father's got here, young lady." Scott approached first, me cautiously following behind and staying out of sight, ready to pull him back if necessary—there were two additional heartbeats in the room other than the voice's. "Scott," the voice acknowledged him, sending more alarms up.

"What are you doing here?" Scott asked.

"Following one of the only leads I have," the voice replied. "Now since I don't know where you've been why don't you have a seat and we can talk." It paused. "You, too, Isaac," the voice called and instantly my heart broke out into a sprint.

"How do you know my name?" I said, getting my first look at the voice.

"Your name's one of the few things I know," he said. FBI. "To be honest, the rest of what's going on around here has me…stumbling in the dark. Even under the smallest scope."

"If you're trying to tell me you don't have a clue," Scott said, stepping forward, "I learned that a long time ago."

"I'm really hoping to avoid the embarrassment of dragging my own son into an interrogation room," he said.

"_Son!?"_

"Really hoping," Agent McCall said, both Allison and I looking shocked at the back of Scott's head. We each took a seat on the near-side of the office, Allison in a chair to my left, Scott in a chair to my right. I was forced to take a seat on an end table. "I'm not gonna' lie," Scott's dad began, me taking out a pack of ice breakers in my pocket. "I'm more than a little disturbed, not only by the number of missing parents but the fact that it's Stiles' father, your father, and your mother." I popped one in and nervously began to suck on it and twiddle it between my teeth.

I looked at Scott, then up at Scott's dad and raised my hand. "Mine are both dead," I said, popping another ice breaker in.

"Save the cliché teenaged apathy for your high school teachers—the three of you know more than you're saying and I'm fully willing to keep you here all night if I have to."

I looked at Agent McCall and then down at Scott again, his eyes transfixed on something on the desk. "You can't keep us here," Scott said, his heart beat beginning to race. I knew that particular rhythm, the one where our rage begins to take control.

"Not without some kind of warrant," Allison added.

"I've got a desk full of probable cause," Scott's dad said, looking from the strewn out arsenal to Allison.

"My father," Allison began, standing, "is a highly respected private security consultant and federally licensed firearms dealer: that means he has to own a few weapons. Like this," she said, pointing to the crossbow nearest to her, "175 lbs. draw tactical crossbow." I looked at Agent McCall and saw him shifting, nervous and impressed at the same time. "Or this carbon-steel Marine combat knife. .58E Desert Eagle." She smirked and picked up a silver can. "Smoke grenade with pull-ring igniter." Suddenly, she pulled it and tossed it towards Scott's dad and the two BHPD officers. "Go," she ordered and darted out the door. I quickly followed, Scott hot on my heels.

Amongst the coughing, I heard Scott's father call after him. "Scott, wait!"

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

We managed to speed off without the authorities catching or following us. Trying to make up for time lost, Allison was speeding ahead of us…really speeding. I looked down at the speedometer on Scott's motorcycle: 80 mph in a 45. I gripped onto him a little tighter, my helmetless cheek flush against his back.

Finally, we pulled up to the Beacon Hills Preserve and parked in front of the chain-gated sign. We dismounted as Allison got out of her car and Allison spoke first. "You okay?"

"I didn't know what to say to him; I couldn't come up with anything," Scott replied. "But what you did, that was awesome."

"I still haven't gotten anything from Stiles," I said, phone in hand, looking at Scott. "You?"

"I don't get it," Scott said.

"Alright," I began, "well we can't wait for him. C'mon."

We walked up to the cliff overlooking Beacon Hills. I looked down over the numerous yellow lights, then up at the storm concealing the bottom third of the blood moon.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't we Scott?" came _that_ voice. Deucalion's voice.

"We got a little delayed," Scott answered. "Where're the others?"

"Occupying themselves with other pursuits," the mastermind replied, his heart blipping. He'd lied.

"So it's just you and me against her?" Scott asked.

"I think you'll be surprised, what a good team we make," Deucalion confirmed.

"Okay," Scott turned to me, his voice lowering. "Get Stiles. And then get to the root cellar. We'll keep Jennifer away long enough for you to get them out of there."

"How're you gonna' do that?" I asked.

"I have a plan," Scott said, giving me a knowing look, the same one Scott gave Gerard when he told the old man about having a plan of his own. When Gerard checked his pills right before he vomited up all that black blood.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

We split up, Scott going with Deucalion, me with Allison. We were looking for the Nematon, almost blindly. And the storm over head was getting increasingly wore. The lightning more ferocious. The wind more violent.

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?" I asked, following Allison in the dark.

"I know we're near it," she answered. "Do you think you can pick up a scent?"

"I'm trying, but I can't—" That's when I heard it. A noise…somewhat familiar. But dimmer. Lighter. She looked back at me because I'd stopped. "I hear something. It's a…it's an emitter. It's one of your dad's."

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking up at me.

"It has to be." I took off and she followed, my ears leading the way now. "C'mon." And suddenly, there it was. The same large stump Stiles described when he first got out of the basin. We both looked around and that's when I saw it. The cellar doors. "Allison." She followed my gaze. We ran over to it and ripped the doors open, Allison going first.

"My God," I heard her say as she knelt down in front of her dad. Immediately I went over to Melissa, the woman I'd grown to love like surrogate mother of my own.

"Where's Stiles?" Sherriff Stilinski began next to me as I worked on Melissa's ropes. "Where's my son?"

"And Scott?" she asked.

"They're coming," I answered, looking away from the ropes for a moment. "They're on their way to help."

"Okay," Melissa answered as I returned to the tough and hardened ropes, my claws not cutting through as easily as they should. Some of the ground above began to cave in and I knew I had to hurry.

I finally cut through and began to unravel the ropes around her, Allison having already moved onto the Sherriff, letting her dad unravel himself.

"Hurry!" I yelled as more and more of the stone and dirt began to collapse in around us.

"C'mon, let's get out of here," the Sherriff said, just in time to watch our only exit collapse: the stairs. We began to hunch under the other parts of the foundation, looking at other holes that have collapsed in, hoping one would provide some promise of getting out.

"It's blocked," Mr. Argent said, looking at another one. "What do you see? Anything?" I shook my head, looking up through a small hole next to the beam above me. "Look out!" he called as another piece of the wall began to fall over, taking away even more of the cellar's support. We all began to move backwards, away from the wall and even further away from our original entrance.

"Isaac!" Allison called as I fell over, a giant slab almost falling on top of me. And there was the Sherriff, pulling me back by the jacket, tossing me onto the ground next to Melissa. I looked up and saw the same wooden beam began to break. I had to do something. I stood and grabbed onto it, my werewolf strength quickly starting kick in as I felt more and more of the ground above me beginning to give in. I could feel my eyes begin to shift as my vision began to redden, the pressure of the weight beginning to become too great for just me.

"Is it me or is this place getting smaller?" I said, trying to take my mind off the pain in my shoulders. I felt the sweat build from the moment my eyes shifted. Suddenly, the beam collapsed a little from my change of focus. As I reapplied myself, the weight only began to hurt even more than before.

More time passed and that's when I felt it. The eclipse was beginning. And there was the Sherriff, kneeling down, holding up the lower end of the beam. "I can't do it. I can't hold it. I can't hold it," I called as it began to collapse more, everyone else quickly stepping in to brace it. But it wasn't enough and the beam was gonna' collapse. Until it didn't. Until it stopped. Held up a little long by the metal bat Stiles had placed between the beam and the ground.

"I always said aluminum was better than wood," the Sherriff said and they embraced each other. But the rubble was still coming down and we needed something dramatic to shift in our favor. And soon.

"_C'mon, Scott," _I thought, patting the key beneath my sweat-laced shirt.

Another minute or two passed and I caught Melissa looking at me. "He's coming. I promise," I said. She smiled at me and I pulled her into my side, ready to shield her if need be. And then the eclipse was over, and I felt my strength returning to me. And in moments, the storm stopped. We heard it. We felt it. The lightning stopped. The wind ceased. And the rubble only began to fall in handful-sized bits.

"Is it over?" Allison said first.

The Sherriff and Stiles began to laugh and I heard Melissa sigh in relief next to me. I looked at her and she smiled brightly at me, both of us knowing Scott had pulled through for us.

Suddenly, Stiles whipped out his buzzing phone. "Scott?" he asked.

"Hey. You okay?" I heard Scott's dim voice.

"Yeah, we're okay. We're all okay. How 'bout you, you okay?"

"Sort of."

"You think you can come get us?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Great, okay. Uh…uh, bring a ladder."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

I watched Scott enter one of the side doors of Beacon Hills High School, his face slightly disgruntled. I couldn't tell what exactly was wrong, but his lips soon formed a slight smiled when his eyes landed on Aiden and Lydia who were standing against the lockers on the right. And then on Ethan and Danny walking out of the classroom on the left, hands locked. And then on Allison walking down the stairs on the left, laughing into the phone to her ear.

And then his eyes landed on me where I was leaning fully against the window allowing the full sunlight through I, the key resting _atop_ my green sweatshirt. His smile widened even more and I thought back to last night, after we got back home. I looked right into his eyes and smirked, watching Stiles come up to him and grip his best friend's shoulders. They exchanged a look and began to walk down the hallway, Scott's gaze returning to me. I smiled and last night's memory filled my brain, and I was hoping it filled his.

The forever ingrained memory of when he kissed me…

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**Author's Note**: So, first off I'd like to thank all those who favorited, followed, and reviewed this story. This has been a blast to work on and I appreciate all the feedback in all three forms. Second, I have been asked about the future of this and so here's my answer. _ɅɅɅ_ will go on hiatus until the return the Winter premiere on January 6. This story _is_ tied directly to the show so there're too many open ends for me to continue writing until then. And even that comes with some caveats as a) I'm starting classes again for the Fall and Spring so we'll see if I have time to write, b) the new storyline may be too inhibiting since they're pushing Allison and Isaac together (we'll see if its workable…I don't wanna' make any calls until I see the first two episodes). That said, I've got several other projects I'm working on: a TW/WWZ crossover and I've got plans for one, maybe two 1Shots of Scisaac so stay tuned. Again, thank you all and I look forward to any/welcome all reviews, but I'd love to hear about this chapter too since it is much longer than all the other chapter and it's a 'concluding' chapter. So for this, see you all in January!

BTW, as I've been editing this chapter before posting it, I've thought about an epilogue/extra scene that would be the night after the battle with Jennifer. Where Scott kisses him. Depending on the response I get, I may post it sooner rather than waiting until January ;)


	10. Interlude

**| SEASON THREE INTERLUDE |**

The last bell of the day finally rang and Isaac hurried from his history classroom to Scott's bike. He passed by Stiles on the way, who was on his way to talk to Coach Finstock. Stiles reminded him of the dinner gathering at his and his father's later that night; the McCalls, Stilinskis, and Argents were going to have a homey get-together to take a big exhale after surviving the Darach-Alpha Pack war that had only just ended the night before. Deaton was invited as well.

Isaac finally made it to Scott's bike, only to not find him there. He rolled up his long green sleeves and leaned against the empty bike rack in front of Scott's bike. Off to the right, Isaac watched Ethan press Danny up against a tree and kiss him just as Aiden walked up. The couple exchanged smiles before the twins began to make their way over to Isaac, their twin black bikes parked next to Scott's bike. They only exchanged truce-laden looks before mounting their bikes and taking off. Isaac looked back over at Danny, who had a wide smile across his face as he made his way to his car. Isaac wished he could have that. And given what had ensued last night, he may well just be starting to have that.

Isaac's gaze locked on to a tiny pebble-sized dent on the front of Scott's bike. He thought back to last night…again. The memory seemed to be on loop in his brain all day. Biology. Economics. Chemistry. History. Didn't matter. Last night would be with him for a while:

_Scott arrived relatively shortly after he and Stiles got off the phone. The ladder he brought was more than sufficient in getting them out and they all got out safely; Deaton brought the ladder which cut in on the time. After a brief farewell and making of plans for dinner the next night, Allison and her father went off into her car, Melissa and the Stilinskis went with Deaton in his car, and Isaac hopped on the back of Scott's motorcycle while he drove them home._

_When Scott and Isaac walked in the door, it had been the first time anyone had been home for several nights; Scott had been with the Alpha Pack and Isaac with the Argents and Derek (they, of course, didn't know that Scott's dad had been by—not that it was his home anymore). Scott began to walk through the downstairs, turning on each light as he moved into the kitchen. Isaac followed, hoping to talk to Scott about everything he wanted and needed to._

"_Scott?" Isaac said, watching Scott silently rummage through the refrigerator, only to emerge with a soda he'd found in the back of one of the shelves._

"_Upstairs," Scott said. Isaac nodded and turned, making his way up to Scott's room, the darker skinned boy right behind him._

"_Um, maybe I, uh, I should shower first?" Isaac said in front of his own door across from Melissa's, noting his sweat soaked and minor-rubble-clad shirt. Scott smirked and nodded, heading down to his own room as Isaac moved to take a shower. He emerged in only a short time, dressed in longer pajamas Melissa had given him: a plain navy blue V-neck t-shirt and long flannel navy blue and white-polka-dot pants. He knocked on Scott's cracked door and opened when beckoned inside. He found Scott lying flat on his back on his bed, yet to change from his grey shirt and blue jeans._

"_Mom should be home any minute," Scott said, his eyes closed. "Stiles just texted me," he added._

"_Are you alright?" Isaac asked, noting Scott's enigmatic position._

"_I feel…" Scott didn't finish._

_Isaac took a seat on Scott's bed at the end next to his right foot. "What?"_

"_Rage. Coldness. Consumed. What Deaton told me I'd feel."_

_Isaac reached out and placed a hand on Scott's shin. He heard Scott gasp and then Scott was propping himself up on his elbows. "What?" Isaac said again when Scott wouldn't stop staring at him._

"_I just…what Deaton said…about 'someone to pull you back.'"_

"_Oh…" Isaac said, looking down at where his hand rested._

"_So…I guess there's a conversation we never finished…that we probably should…especially now all of this is over." Isaac looked back up at Scott and only looked away when Scott scooted to sit at the end of the bed next to Isaac. "What do you wanna' know first?"_

"_Tell me about the fight with Jennifer," Isaac said after a few seconds, thinking that to be a better starting place than any other._

_So Scott did. He walked him through from the moment he left Isaac with Allison. He told him about the video message in the distillery. About Derek joining Jennifer and Derek's truthful claim that he was doing it to save Scott. About Deucalion's transformed state and Jennifer's inability to affect the Alpha of alphas. About Derek's blue eyes once again, which, after the battle, he told him he'd sacrificed his alpha powers to save Cora. He then explained Deucalion's failed attempt to get Scott to kill Jennifer and how he escaped Deucalion's physical hold._

_And that's when Isaac first interrupted. "Wait…so back up. Explain something to me: why exactly did you go with Deucalion? I mean, why did he let you…or want you to come with him?"_

"_I guess this is the bit we never got to finish." Scott paused to collect himself, looking down for the first time since the explanations began. "The night Boyd died, when I found Deaton in the bank vault, he told me something. He was surrounded by mountain ash and I tried to break through it. You know Stiles' dad got him out, but when I got close…apparently something happened. My…my eyes changed colors."_

"_To red?" Isaac asked. Scott looked up at Isaac, surprised that he'd 'guessed' right. "I heard something. Something Peter and Derek said the other night. But I want you to tell me, so go ahead."_

"_Deaton told me that there's something that happens…pretty rarely. A beta can become an alpha through the sheer force of their own character and will. Deaton called it a true alpha. And at the hospital, Jennifer told Derek, Peter, and Stiles. Now I'm telling you."_

"_So that's why Deucalion wanted you?" Scott nodded._

"_I actually feel it now. Since I broke through Jennifer's barrier."_

"_You did what?" he said, surprised._

_Scott continued his story. Resuming from when the lunar eclipse kick in. Telling Isaac about her dwindling powers and Derek's attempt to stop her. About Jennifer putting up a barrier when the eclipse ended. And about how he broke through the barrier. Isaac smirked when Scott told him that and then Scott finished. Telling Isaac about Scott's warning and then Deucalion's final swipe. And then about letting Deucalion go. He didn't tell him about Jennifer's missing body…he didn't want to worry Isaac if he didn't have to._

"_So you're actually an alpha now?" Isaac asked, smirking at the prospect of his dreams actually having been true…in some regard._

"_Yeah…it's kinda'…yeah." Scott smirked, too._

"_I…you know I left Derek's pack a while ago…so…can I…join yours?"_

_They both looked at each other at the same time and their exchange of looks said it all. "Of course," Scott replied, a new smile forming on his lips. "I mean…thinking back I think, in some regards, you already have been."_

"_I don't mean to brag," Isaac began, "but I've somehow known since before the night Boyd died. Since the motel actually." Scott raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't matter…maybe it was just the wolfsbane talking." Isaac snorted at his own words and looked down at his knees. After a moment or so of silence Isaac finally looked back at Scott, whose own gaze returned to the floor. "Any more surprises I need to know about?"_

_Scott shook his head at first. But when Isaac looked back down, Scott moved. Leaned over in fact. And grabbed Isaac by the chin and lightly turned his face to his. And planted a tender kiss upon his new beta's lips. Isaac looked only briefly at Scott's closed eyes before following suit and kissing Scott back. Their lips only moved together for a moment before Scott pulled back softly. His eyes fluttered open and he looked deep into Isaac's. "Was that okay?" Isaac smirked again and nodded, too speechless from what just happened. "Good, 'cuz I'm pretty sure I've noticed things." Scott didn't give Isaac a chance to reply, stealing his lips again and ultimately leaning them back onto his bed so they could make out for a little longer._

_They heard the front door open and their lips separated slowly. "I…I never told you thank you," Scott said, both boys still on their sides._

"_For what?"_

"_For saving her. At the Nemeton."_

_Isaac got to his feet and held out his hand, pulling Scott up. He paused only for a second before whispering, "You're welcome," against his lips and kissing him once. Not letting Scott take things further in that moment, despite his attempts to, they both made their way downstairs to see Melissa cracking open a dusty bottle of what appeared to be bourbon._

"_This was your father's," she said upon seeing Scott enter the kitchen. "He won't mind," she continued before pouring a little into three short glasses._

"_You're letting us drink?" Scott asked, stunned._

"_No, Scott, I'm telling you to drink," she said with a smirk, handing Isaac a glass and then her son. "Cheers…to no more of this," she said, motioning to the air around, "that you got me into." She winked and took a sip. The boys followed suit._

"_Did Stiles tell you—"_

"_That your father's back in town?" she finished. "Oh yeah, he told me. Hence we're drinking this and not a bottle of wine." Scott smirked and Isaac snorted a little._

Isaac finally saw Scott walking up to him, two helmets in his hands. "Hey," he said with a wide smile, handing Isaac his helmet.

"Hey," Isaac replied with an equal grin.

"How was your day?"

"Pensive," Isaac replied.

"Now I know why Stiles has been annoyed with me," Scott teased. "You ready to go?" Isaac nodded. "By the way, Deaton messaged me. He wants to talk one-on-one so would it be alright if I just dropped you off?"

"Yeah," Isaac replied, not disappointed as he reminded himself that this was only the beginning of good things. "Is he still coming to dinner?"

"I assume so," Scott replied, slipping the helmet over his head and mounting the bike. Isaac mimicked the motions and slipped his hands delightfully around Scott's waist. He squeezed lightly and Scott tapped his helmet back against Isaac's. The blonde smiled and they took off, heading back to the McCall residence…no…to home.

* * *

**Author's Note**: As hinted, here we are! See you guys in January and keep an eye out for my other stuff!


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